Co-author: Belinda Sng Qi Rong
2022 has been a year filled with many pleasant surprises - from the easing of COVID restrictions to the gradual opening up of various countries. On a personal level, there may have been changes, insignificant or life-changing, that have occurred through the year. One may have noticed some level of anxiety and insecurity in the face of uncertainties. When things take an undesirable turn, we may feel anxious about what implications it can have. Even if the change was what we wanted, we may question whether we have made the right choice. Many times, these feelings of uncertainty stem from our desire to be ‘good enough’ or wanting to make the best choice that we possibly could. But what does that actually look like? Looking ahead to the new year, there may also be things that do not turn out as we predicted them to, but how can we respond to such uncontrollable events and take better care of our mental health? In this article, we highlight alternative ways that one can respond to these unplanned changes and to better take care of our mind and body.
While many environmental factors are not within our control, we can work on changing the way we react to unpredictable events and changes. Cognitive self-care is the practice of taking care of your psychological well-being. The following are some cognitive self-care techniques to try in 2023.
Adopt a growth mindset. One’s knowledge and abilities can be developed over time with consistent effort and persistence. There will be ups and downs but with resilience, an open-mind to ask for help, and try new strategies, the constant effort will pay off.
Challenge yourself to new experiences. While it may be daunting to dive into an unfamiliar task or environment, the more we expose ourselves to different experiences, the more we discover about ourselves. Our current knowledge and competencies are all a result of our learning from past experiences.
Focus on what’s within our control. Rather than fixating on factors that we are unable to control, we can focus on other things that we are in control of, such as what we tell ourselves or how we respond to unexpected events.
Embrace mistakes. Every human makes mistakes, but how we react to them can make a big difference. Rather than focusing on what has gone wrong, focus on what we can learn from this experience and how we can improve next time. Nobody is perfect. We are allowed to make mistakes and learn from them.
Practice gratitude for the things we have. In the midst of our hectic lives and endless goals we are chasing after, it is easy to forget how much we already have. You do not need to be a billionaire to be happy, every role comes with its own set of responsibilities. Sometimes, all it takes is to be grateful for what we have to keep us grounded and happy. A simple exercise to practise is to list 3 things you are grateful for each day.
Aside from cultivating healthy cognitive habits, we can also work on tuning into our body’s needs to improve our overall well-being in the following ways.
Engage in regular physical activity. Apart from improving cognitive functions such as thinking, learning, memory, and problem-solving. Regular exercise can promote positive emotions and mental wellness. This then makes it easier for us to practise the above-mentioned cognitive self-care techniques.
Getting enough sleep. Studies suggest that sleep deprivation is associated with long-term cognitive decline, and can impair social functioning and increase the risk for depression. If possible, set a night routine and bedtime. For example, reading an hour before bedtime at 11 pm. Sticking to a routine serves to destress and remind your brain that bedtime is approaching.
Eat well. A healthy diet promotes cognitive performance. In contrast, poor dieting habits can lead to fatigue, increase response time, and lead to stress and feelings of depression. Recent studies have suggested that the food we eat is strongly associated with our gut health, which in turn impacts our emotional behaviours.
As we start the new year, let us also take some time to care for our brains and bodies. The small steps we take to improve our cognitive and mental well-being can go a long way to have a big impact on our overall well-being. There may have been many things that went well in 2022, and many that we could have done better. Most importantly, be kind to yourself - remember that you are already doing the best you could at any given point in time.
Interesting reads:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/wander-woman/201312/how-feel-good-enough